


A pound of cure

by PoisonJack



Series: FebuWhump 2021; star wars; borderlands fills [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Divergent, General au, M/M, Pining, Poisoning, Pre TROS, Whump, an AU where Kylo never used the force on Hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:48:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29345388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonJack/pseuds/PoisonJack
Summary: Hux couldn't breathe, hand at his throat at he called Ren's name accusingly on the deck.Ren was on the other side of the bridge, turning towards his called name with a sort of casual air to Hux’s strange-sounding voice, and in that moment Hux understood that Renwasn’tdoing this to him.This is for day 7 ofFebuWhumpover on tumblr :) The prompt was 'poisoning'.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren, Kylux
Series: FebuWhump 2021; star wars; borderlands fills [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2140923
Comments: 7
Kudos: 111





	A pound of cure

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so so so far behind on these. Was sick a couple days and maaaaaan trying to catch up x_x

Hux felt his heart rate increase first. Then a tingling under his tongue and through his limbs, followed by suddenly feeling hot and then cold behind his neck and ears; across his back under his uniform followed by an adrenaline rush of panic.

He lurched forward, not able to get enough air. He was grasping at his throat with one hand while the other kept him upright from the console he was supporting himself on. He ignored the concerned voice of Mitaka and the number of eyes of the bridge crew on him, only interested in _one_.

“ _Ren!”_ he croaked out in immediate accusation.

Ren was on the other side of the bridge, turning towards his called name with a sort of casual air to Hux’s strange-sounding voice, and in that moment Hux understood that Ren _wasn’t_ doing this to him. The way that he knew Ren was just as surprised as he was that this was happening, he couldn’t say. He didn’t know what made him so certain, but he could _feel_ the way he had the other man’s attention. It wasn’t like he could see Ren’s face beneath the mask. But his actions were anything but owning whatever was happening to him.

Ren was suddenly striding across the bridge with alacrity towards Hux, and the ship seemed to tilt at Hux’s feet as his vision became patchy, not getting enough air. He could see the shiny durasteel ceiling of the command deck, confused and hot and he _couldn’t_ breathe.

Someone was calling for a medic, and Ren’s masked face appeared above his as Hux realized he was on the ground. He couldn’t move-- _was he dying?_ \- and he was _definitely_ not getting enough air. It was all he could do to watch Ren as the man’s head shot up at the same time as his hand. Hux couldn’t move to look;couldn’t _think_ to do so. 

His last thought was one of certainty that Ren was using the force _now_. Whatever for, Hux couldn’t guess-- lost the ability of comprehensive thought entirely- as his consciousness went entirely black.

\--

The first conscious thought Hux had-- when he realized he was _capable_ of conscious thought- was that he was steadily pulling air into his lungs through the mask sealed to his face. Over and over again, in, then out without any pain or difficulty. 

_Oh. I’m breathing._

His eyes openly slowly at first, feeling scratchy and dry. He realized he wasn’t alone.

Ren was there, maskless, gloveless, watching him with those intense, fathomless dark eyes of his. 

And he was holding his hand.

“Poison.” 

It was the first word out of the other man’s mouth, and Hux frowned a little. Ren’s fingers twitched against his own. The man chewed his words before saying them, as if it gave him difficulty. It was the most tongue-tied Hux had ever seen him.

“Your caf was poisoned.”

“...poisoned _caf_ …” Hux said with a sort of grimace for the cliche. 

“The perpetrator has been dealt with,” he reported much more swiftly. Hux hummed at that. He’d get the details after the sedatives he was certain he was on wore off. Ren’s brow twitched. “You thought _I_ did it.”

Hux looked at Ren without denial. He didn’t try to claim otherwise. He let his eyes close, still puzzling on the fact that Ren’s hand was on his. It was an oddly comforting, warm weight. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken his bare hand in theirs. “...you’ve done it before, Ren...”

“Not to you.”

Hux was too tired to be properly offended on behalf of his crew. “And I’m so special?” he said dismissively, eyes heavy. 

“ _Yes_.”

Hux opened his eyes again to meet Ren’s own. There was something there in the depths that he hadn’t taken notice of before. Something that was so loud and obvious that he had to wonder if he’d been blind to it this entire time, or if Ren had been actively hiding it. 

Then again, it was so rare they spoke face to _face_. Maybe Ren was _incapable_ of hiding it without the mask, and Hux was so used to fighting with the man that he wouldn’t have seen it unless he’d looked for it.

There was a squeeze to his hand-- _gentle_ , reassuring, supportive- and Hux really wondered that he’d _never_ noticed before. 

They were at each other’s throats so often that it wasn’t entirely surprising to have missed the way Ren was looking at him _now_. It was such an earnest expression. Hux was reminded that he had years on the other man; they were both young for the rank they held, doing their best to progress the First Order’s ideals. Neither had time for personal attachments. Such options had never even entered Hux’s mind.

Yet Ren’s expression held cautious optimism as he just looked back at Hux with patience, still holding his hand, so obviously concerned for the other man that Hux was a little wonder struck for it all. 

“Hux…” 

There was so much emotion packed into that utterance of his name. It was different from how he was used to hearing Ren say it; but then again, no, not _entirely_. 

It was always there. Something in his eyes as he said his name and looked at Hux back. Maybe he just hadn’t noticed _that_ either. It was definitely easily lost when they were trying to intimidate and threaten each other while poorly-attempting to share command. 

But _without_ any rivalry, or threats; without some challenge to try and outdo one another… Ren probably believed in kindred spirits or such nonsense. But Hux could recognize that they shared a lot in common, and that perhaps that didn’t just include achievements, but also the loneliness of not having a peer.

Hux squeezed his hand back.

**Author's Note:**

> I eat comments like jogan fruit feed me xD AHAHA
> 
> [my star wars tumblr](http://go-hux-yourself.tumblr.com/) | [my fic archive masterlist](https://go-hux-yourself.tumblr.com/post/187723542337/poisonjack-ao3-fic-archive)| [my twitter](https://twitter.com/PurgeThatUrge)


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